We propose to study the natural history and course of untreated depressive symptoms in an urban community. In a longitudinal community survey of 720 adults in New Haven, Connecticut, conducted in 1967 and 1969, approximately one-third of the respondents displayed mild to severe depressive symptoms. The presence and absence of symptoms, as well as change in symptom status, was found consistently to be associated with specific sociodemographic characteristics, role performance, and life stress. In 1974, we plan to reinterview the original cohort who exhibited depressive symptoms. This would include 155 subjects with mild depressive symptoms, 80 with moderate to severe depressive symptoms and 150 asymptomatic subjects who represent an approximately one-third random sample of that group. Data on the subjects' symptom status, social adjustment, life events and help seeking behavior will be collected using standardized rating techniques. The specific purposes of the research are to study the natural history, course and stability of untreated depressive symptoms; to determine relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, social role performance and depressive symptoms over time; to determine relationships between changes in life events and changes in depressive symptoms; to develop long-term predictors of depressive symptoms; to determine subsequent treatment patterns and needs; and to compare the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of persons with untreated symptoms with published data based on depressed patients in treatment.